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Tsuguyuki Kubo
Tsuguyuki Kubo (窪 詔之, Kubo Tsuguyuki, born 1942) was the main figure behind the character design side of Topcraft's work. He had started out at Tatsunoko in 1965 as the Animation Director for Space Ace, where he famously animated the opening of Speed Racer (Mach GoGoGo in Japan), before leaving to form his own studio, Studio Bees, where he did subcontracting for Toei and Tatsunoko, working notably on the likes of Rainbow Sentai Robin, finally arriving at Topcraft in 1972. Topcraft had been founded that year by Toru Hara, a Toei Doga expatriate who after Nausicaa would become Ghibli's early Executive Producer. Before the company was founded officially they had done a promotional video for Rankin/Bass, which presumably is how Topcraft came to focus almost exclusively on foreign subcontracting for them. Kubo was the Character Designer of the first of these, the TV series Kid Power, and he would go on to do much of the studio's character designing, giving the studio's work its unique look. Perhaps because of his past experience at Tatsunoko, he was also involved in the handful of the studio's domestic projects, most of which were for Tatsunoko. He also animated a number of TV advertisements for the studio starting 1973. Tsguyuki Kubo might actually be a nickname for Noriyuki since Tsguyuki's Kanji comes out as. Which in romance version comes out as Noriyuki Kubomikotonori (Google reveals one site for Paradise Kiss and that is it.). Mr. Kubo was born in 1942 and Tsgu's debut was key animation for Space Ace in 1965 for Tatsunoko. Then onto Toei Doga Animation with Rainbow Sentai Robin, Maho Tsukai Sally and Pyun, Pyun Maru as Continuity Design. He also worked the King Kong/Tom Thumb movie (from Videocraft) and was Animation Coordinator for Johnny Cypher In Dimension Zero (Seven Arts) before finally animating the opening of Speed Racer 1967. Mouse On The Mayflower in 1968 was his final Videocraft credit before he worked with Rankin/Bass (Rankin/Bass and Videocraft are one in the same though.). His Toei Animation credits also include both Gegege No Kitaro series' (1968/1971), Tiger Mask, Judo Boy (under Noriyuki, for Tatsunoko), Akane-Chan, Cyborg 009 (1968), The Secret Of Akkochan and Mazinger Z VS. Devilman in 1973. As for his Rankin/Bass works he did Twas The Night Before Christmas, Kid Power, The Coneheads and Frosty's Winter Wonderland among others along with Thundercats and Silverhawks when he worked for Pacific Animation Company. My sources have stated that he might have even played a hand in the first Frosty The Snowman production; but there is no actual evidence of this. Of course; the entertainment industry during those times were not always putting up complete credits if the production was animated in Japan as evidence by the lack of full credits for TaleSpin and other DTVA productions during the 1980s and even into the 1990s (Kubo is credited for the show I should note). His Disney credits are mostly from the Walt Disney Japan side in 1989 with Rescue Rangers, The New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh and Darkwing Duck along with TaleSpin as mentioned. In the post Disney era; he continues to work on projects even as early as last month when this article was re-written. He has worked on four Naruto specials, Naruto Shippuden, FLCL (OH YEAH!), Bleach, Blue Dragon, Clamp School, The Diary Of Anne Frank, Detective School Q and two 2014 productions: The World Is Still Beautiful and Yona Of The Dawn. Also, he did the artwork for the 1995 fighting game version of Double Dragon released for the Neo-Geo and the original PlayStation, and did animation for ads and even some illustrations for Gundam Victory, although I'm not sure if it was the anime series, manga or video games. He is Animation Supervisor for Two Episodes Easy Come, Easy Milly and Invasion of the Izzy Snatcher and more on [[The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh|'The New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh']]. Category:Winnie the Pooh Crew Members Category:Living people Category:1942 births Category:Stubs Category:Supervisors Category:Stub